The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), a British business within the Economist Group providing forecasting and advisory services through research and analysis, has released the Democracy Index which ranks 167 countries by 60 indicators across five broad categories. The categories considered for the index are electoral process and pluralism, the functioning of government, political participation, democratic political culture and civil liberties. A reporting in January 2019 enrich us that India slipped from the 27th rank in 2014 to 41st in the Democracy Index 2019 released by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU). Significantly, the index classifies countries into four categories, namely full democracies, flawed democracies, hybrid regimes and authoritarian regimes. India figured in the flawed democracy category in each of these years. But while India occupied the 3rd rank among flawed democracies in 2014, it has dropped sharply to the 21st position in the latest index. A policy research group, 'The Legatum Institute' world's leading global group, that measure economic and social wellbeing that studies 104 indicators under categories: economic quality, governance, business environment, personal freedom, safety and security, social capital, education, health and natural environment, one key factor the survey considers is governance, which is broken down into three categories: effective governance, democracy and political participation, and the rule of law, ranked India at 100th among 149 countries on the list of prosperous countries released as part of The Legatum Prosperity Index 2017.
Had the Social media not accessible to people, interestingly, they would have never been aware of the losses occurred in various business sectors amid much claimed advancing India by the present Government. These burning issues never projected by any media house because of the facts that they dare not to report the issues in right perspective as it will unmask the silhouette created by the government. A very shivering posting came across on my WhatsApp about the losses by various companies in India and regarding the employment loss. It read as that "while everyone is debating on India/Pakistan, Article 370, on Kashmir, Ram Mandir - Babri Masjid, Chitambaram, D K Shiv Kumar etc. We miss to notice what is happening to our country in and around? The recent data and situation of the country has been put as: Vodafone is in loss of Rs 50,921 Crore. Search on engines testify that Vodafone's global CEO Nick Read had said that its joint venture in India may soon have to be liquidated, citing 'unsupportive regulation' and 'excessive taxes' as reasons. Airtel is in loss of Rs. 23,045 Crore, its highest and second quarterly loss in 14 years, MTNL is in loss of Rs. 755 Crore. Google testify that MTNL has reported losses in nine of the past 10 years and BSNL too has been reporting losses since 2010. The total debt on both the companies stood at Rs 40,000 crore, of which half of the liability is on MTNL alone. BSNL is in loss of Rs. 14,000 Crore. Google testify that the public sector firm's provisional loss was Rs 4,859 crore in 2015-16, Rs 4,793 crore in 2016-17, Rs 7,993 crore in 2017-18 and is estimated to balloon to Rs 14,202 crore in 2018-19, ever increase in loss since BJP government came into power. Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd (BPCL) is in loss of Rs. 750 Crore. Steel Authority of India (SAIL) is in loss of Rs. 286 Crore. Search engines testify that SAIL is in loss from past 6 quarters. But in the 3rd quarter of 2017-18 SAIL delivers profit. Air India is in loss of Rs. 4600 Crore. The national carrier could report highest-ever loss of over Rs 7,600 crore in financial year 2018-19 on account of low fleet utilization and high fuel prices among others (update available on search engine dated 10 June 2019). Spice Jet is in loss of Rs 463 Crore, Indigo is in loss of Rs. 1062 Crore, Apart from the above, Jet Airways closed, Air-India in loss of Rs. 7600 Crore, BHEL in loss of Rs. 219 Crore, India Post in loss of Rs. 15,000 Crore, GMR Infra in loss of Rs. 561 Crore, Yes Bank in loss of Rs. 600 Crore, Union Bank is in loss of Rs. 1190 Crore, PNB Bank is in loss of Rs. 4750 Crore, Axis Bank is in loss of Rs. 112 Crore. No money to pay salary for HAL employees, one million to be laid off in Auto Industry, 12.76 lakhs houses unsold in 30 major cities, Airtel and Docomo is dead, JP group finished, most profitable company in India, ONGC, is now making losses, 36 largest debtors missing from the country, Rs. 2.4 lakh Crore loan waive offto a few corporate, all Banks incurring huge losses, external debt on country 500+ Billion dollars, Railways on sale, Rent heritages including Red Fort, largest maker Maruti cuts production, Rs 55000 crores car inventory lying at factories, with no buyers, builder allover stressed, some committing suicides, no buyers, construction stopped due to material cost rise, (GST 18% to 28%), OFB under corporatization affecting over 1.5 lakh employees and families, millions unemployed due to demonetization, highest unemployment in 45 years, five air ports sold to Adani, record HNI individuals leaving India, Videocon bankrupt, Tata Docomo perished, Cafe Coffee Day founder VG Siddhartha, committed suicide citing financial pressure, heavy debt, reputed Biscuits companies like Parle-G in the verge of terminating their employees, many nationalized banks have merged, many branches have literaly closed, huge numbers of ATMs room are shut down, may be more. Then who is making profits: Reliance Jio is in net profit of Rs.990 crore. Google describe that Jio's quarterly profit increased to Rs 990 crore from Rs 681 crore a year ago. Adani is in profit of Rs 102 crore, BJP is in profit of Rs. 1034 crore+. Unknown and media is busy debating India Vs Pakistan, and Hindu Vs Muslim, who were living peacefully with tranquility till recently.
All these factors when looked through the happiness index, we find that India, the world's largest democracy ranked, 133rd position, 10 points down from 122nd, among 156 countries in World Happiness Index 2018 released by the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network. Interestingly Pakistan (ranked 75th) and China (86th) well ahead of India in happiness index despite being not the most democratic or free country. The index ranking based on factors (parameters) such as inequality, life expectancy, GDP per capita, social freedom, generosity, public trust (i.e. a lack of corruption in government and business) and social support. Together these parameters are used to generate a happiness score of country. It is time to understand the reality of the country than the silhouette created and served to the countrymen through biased media. |
